FEMA Administrator Fugate Meets With HBCU Leadership To Discuss Partnership In Preparedness

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today addressed presidents, provosts, chancellors, and deans from a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from across the country at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, Md. The meeting -- part of the second offering of an Emergency Management Planning, Preparedness, Training and Education Workshop for Colleges and Universities -- is designed to provide schools and their leadership with an introduction to emergency management, a basic overview of EMI’s higher education programs and an opportunity to hear from leading professionals in the field of emergency management.

“FEMA is only one part of our nation’s emergency response team,” said Administrator Fugate. “As we work with our partners in the states, the private sector, and across the federal government to build this team, it is imperative that we continue to engage those who are responsible for developing the next generation of emergency managers and community leaders. Today’s meeting was an important step in the process, and I thank the leadership from HBCUs across the country for their interest and willingness to engage their students in the important field of emergency management.”

The conference, which runs from December 14-17, in partnership with the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, allows attendees to hear from other university officials who have successfully implemented emergency management degree programs, certification programs, and Campus Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) at their institutions.

Approximately 40 HBCU executives were scheduled to attend. The agenda included an introduction to emergency management, information on FEMA’s higher education program, DHS and FEMA funding opportunities for colleges and universities, and a tabletop exercise focusing on the university/college participation in preparing for their own disasters and partnering with the community as part of their emergency management plan.

For more information on EMI’s training programs, please visit, training.fema.gov/.